Page 67 of Hush 3: Hidden Family

“That’s a shame. I hope your son learns to make better choices from his next father.”

With that, I blow his brains out and drop him in front of the door I came in through. I double back to a room on the second floor that grabbed my attention. There is blood everywhere.

As I walk into the room in question, the sound of someone gasping for breath fills the air. I grab the case I noticed then turn to put a bullet through the head of the gasping bastard leaning against the wall. Stepping over another body, I leave as quickly as I came in.

Symphony

“Shit, Sim. How do you plan to get out of this one?” Adriano hisses through the comm.

His assistance was needed for this job. I don’t normally take jobs like this one, but I needed to get out some of this pent-up frustration. I miss Michael.

All I could think about when I woke up on his chest in that bathtub was Ellen Mairettie’s words. I’ve done some more research on the woman and found she’s from a family of Gypsies.

A few of them are known for fortune-telling to the underground world. Before meeting Ellen, I don’t think I would have subscribed to such things, but now I refuse to play with Michael’s life to find out the truth from experience.

“Answer me. Are you okay in there?” Adriano demands.

I sigh and roll my eyes. If I’m supposed to be hiding, how can I answer? And people talk to me and treat me like I’m slow.

I roll my eyes again. I’m going to have to fight my way out before he storms his way in here and gets us both killed. Now I wish I had come on my own.

The dojo beneath me holds my three targets, but they have security with them. This shouldn’t be the case. I was told it would only be the three.

Looking through the vents, my eyes land on the wall of weapons. If I can get to it, I can get out of here. I will need to disarm the big guys first and then take on the targets.

This might be the challenge I need. I have never truly tested my combat skills other than in training with Uri and Adriano. However, these three are masters.

I had planned to use bullets to take them out from a distance. Now, if I speak to let Adriano know that I’m okay, I will lose the element of surprise and I’ll be cooked. If I take action and attack, I will need my bullets for the guards, not the targets.

I don’t know how I got into this situation. This client will have a lot to answer for. I will never work for them again.

As silently as I can, I move through the vent to the other side of the room where the weapons wall sits. I hold my breath, hoping not to make a sound over their heads.

I shift my body in the small space so I can slide instead of crawl. I already know the vents are thin and the sound carries. Itwas the first thing to grab my attention from the time I entered them.

“Sim, I’m coming in. If you can hear me, hang tight. I’m on my way.”

I hold in a groan. I don’t need him to charge in here. I can handle this. Ugh, this is why I work alone.

I purse my lips and release an annoyed breath. Here goes nothing. Reaching the vent, I pull my gun and drop down through the opening. Landing in a crouch, I take out the first two big guys—one to the head, two to the chest.

Not taking a moment to think about it, I then put down the other two. One of them gets a shot off before I drop him. The bullet hits the wall behind me. Unfortunately, the shot rings out, alerting the others outside.

Two more rush into the room, I take them both out then drop my gun. I need to get to the weapons behind me. The three targets snap into action, ready to take me on as they get into fighting stances.

“I don’t know who you are or who sent you, but you have come to die,” the first woman says.

I grin before I turn and run at the wall to my left. I use my momentum to walk the wall and get to the swords I have my sights on. I grab the hilts of the two I want and flip down to my feet.

One of the targets laughs at me. “Do you know who we are? You will be dead in seconds. I won’t even bother to remove my coat for you.”

I chuckle back. “I didn’t ask you to. I know who you all are. It will be an honor to take your lives.”

I have slowly moved into the center of the room as they have begun to surround me. I channel the anger I’ve been feeling since the morning I had to leave Michael in Italy.

I drop into a pose with the swords held out before me. They have begun to circle me like I’m the prey. From the sound of it, Adriano entered the building as he promised.

I need to finish here to help him. These three women have earned this death. They have lied to families, promising to give their daughters a better life.

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